Editorial: Kindness rules the day!

Something special happened at the Salinas Animal Shelter last weekend. Thursday, a week ago, managers of the shelter alerted our newsroom that they were frankly overwhelmed with more dogs and cats than they could ever possibly care for.

Without immediate help from the community, the shelter would be forced to euthanize these unfortunate pets.

Shelter managers asked us to put the word out; we did; and that’s when something special happened:

Dozens of people nearly overran the shelter last weekend; and all the animals that faced a tragic fate, got a new home -- and a new lease on life. And we’re told the flow of people at the shelter offering their help, has continued through this weekend.

We really shouldn’t be surprised at the wonderful response from our community; we know, somehow, you always come through!

Sadly, for the animals who find their way in to local shelters, it won’t be the last time that charitable, loving spirit will be needed. In Salinas alone it’s estimated there are 26,000 dogs and 30,000 cats. Of those, nearly 5,000 will find their way to the Salinas Animal Shelter this year -- a shelter that has been reduced in funding, with employees forced to take unpaid furlough once every pay period; and on top of that, more animals to care for than in past years.

The Salinas shelter isn’t alone facing these challenges: others in Monterey County, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties have all faced funding and staffing challenges.

We hope last Saturday’s special turnout at the Salinas Animal Shelter inspires more people on the Central Coast to take that first step towards adopting a dog or a cat -- or perhaps just volunteering to lend a hand at a nearby shelter. And we hope it also serves as a reminder about the importance of responsible pet ownership -- which includes having your pet spayed or neutered.